The use of photovoltaic solar cells (PV solar cells) to collect solar energy and convert that energy to electricity is widely recognized. The PV solar cells are typically manufactured with impervious encapsulating layers to provide protection from environmental factors that may reduce the effectiveness of the solar cell in converting light to electricity. Such encapsulating layers may be formed from one or more of a polymer such as an acrylate-based polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate and TEDLAR-brand polyvinyl fluoride. Such encapsulating layers are used to limit the ingress of water, oxygen and other materials that may react with the cell material and cause degradation. The encapsulating layers are typically thin and provide protection only to the active PV solar cell.
It is also recognized that PV solar cells can operate more efficiently if there is a degree of concentration of sunlight on the PV solar cell. Concentration is typically achieved with a lens or other collection device that collects light over a wider area than is occupied by the active area of the PV solar cell. The collection devices are typically manufactured from glass or from a durable plastic and are placed over the encapsulated solar cell. The provision of the collection-and-concentration optics typically occurs as a separate step from the step of encapsulating PV solar cells, and therefore adds additional significant component of cost to solar collector assemblies.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a streamlined, and hence more economical, method of making solar collector assemblies with encapsulated PV solar cells and an optical concentrator.